United Kingdom, One Penny, Copper, 1858 (Victoria)

A British one penny copper coin from 1858. It features a portrait of the young Queen Victoria, engraved by William Wyon. Records for this coin note: copper, 34 mm diameter, 3 mm thick, 18.8 g weight, Royal Mint of London, mintage of 1,075,000. In that same year, 1858, the law regarding the oath for Members of Parliament was changed, allowing them to choose between the Old and New Testaments. Lionel de Rothschild, who had been elected for the City of London in 1847, had been unable to take his seat for eleven years due to the wording of the oath. He finally entered the House of Commons on July 26. The point of contention was not the substance of faith, but the wording of the institution. This was the small change minted in that year.